When is home more than just a place you live?
It kind of hit me last month that this year will be nine years of me living in Ohio. Nine years, for me, that is pretty monumental. The only other place I have lived that long was in my hometown and that changed after I was accepted into college. That started a time where I didnt say in any one place longer than about four or five years. I am sure that if I sat down and talked about that with my therapist, we could come up with plenty of scenarios as to why I opted for that kind of lifestyle.
What has also become surprising is finding out how much I love living in Ohio, the Cleveland area specifically. To be fair, this is not the first time that I tried living here. The last time lasted just short of a year before I left. I started coming to Cleveland around 2000 and fell in love with a great many things here; graffiti, architecture, and how the entire city still gives off small town vibes in a larger city scale. Then I met my boyfriend, he also loves living here — probably more than I do.
This July the 4th, we opted to stay away from the crowded fireworks displays and go a bit more low key. Join me today as I share with you, Finding My Peace on the Shores of Home: A Cleveland 4th of July.
- Date nights, detours, and the pull of the lake
- Ashtabula, the Lift Bridge, and stories in steel
- Light, lens, and lake breeze
- Even one with fireworks
- A shoreline state of mind
Date nights, detours, and the pull of the lake
The one thing that Karl and I strive for is keeping our relationship new and engaging. One of the small ways we do that is to have a date night every week. The make-up of this “date night” is pretty basic, in nature. It means time we spend together that is different from our normal nightly routines. It can include going to a new or favorite restaurant, checking out a show at Playhouse Square, a movie together, cooking a meal, or just about anything that isn’t part of our normal routine.
Some of the coolest date nights we have had together involve picking up a couple things for a grocery store or favorite restaurant and then heading to a local park to do a picnic. We have some great memories of those times and two of the best were when our dinner was interrupted by a thunderstorm. It was the picnic idea that promoted our plans for how to spend the fourth.
Through some of our research and travels, we remembered that there was a lift bridge in Ashtabula that had some pretty cool lights on it and with the fourth happening, a good charge for some fireworks. We had gone to a couple local art and craft shows and each one had a photographer who had shot various angles and seasons of the Ashtabula Lift Bridge, so this seemed to be some kind of suggestion from the universe and we decided to heed it.
Karl is a master at planning these kinds of things. He has a list of ice cream places along the lake that he wants to try and he picked out an Italian restaurant, Alessandro’s, for us to have dinner at. Saturday arrives, we get dressed, pack the car with camera gear and head to Ashtabula. We got to the restaurant and saw there was at least an hour wait, Karl being the awesome planner decided to switch plans to ordering take out and heading to a local park he used to visit. While we were waiting for our food, we opted for ice cream from a place he has been wanting to go to, Frosty Harbor. So away we went.
Karl ordered chai tea ice cream cone and I got a pumpkin pie hurrican (think DQ blizzard). We remarked on the uniqueness of the items and that it was a nice treat in the heat we were still dealing with. Once finished, we headed back to Alessandro’s to pick up our food and then headed to Lake Short Park to enjoy our dinner. We found a nice parking spot that we got to look out on the lake and opened our meal. It was a beautiful evening, even just sitting in the car. We went to watch the ducks and geese chase people who were feeding them, watch the boats as they came in from off the lake and the sun slowly started to dip towards sunset. It was at this time we knew we needed to pack up and head back to the Lift Bridge to pick our spot.
Ashtabula, the Lift Bridge, and stories in steel
The Ashtabula Lift Bridge, officially known as West Fifth Street Bridge, has stood as a working piece of history since its construction in 1925, originally built in 1889 as a pontoon bridge. This vertical lift bridge was designed to allow both vehicle traffic and tall ships to pass through the Ashtabula River with ease—a vital necessity during the town’s industrial heyday. Operated manually by an on-site bridge tender, it rises several times a day even now, maintaining its original function while also serving as a charming symbol of the area’s maritime legacy.
Ashtabula itself was once a bustling harbor town, booming with iron ore shipments, coal docks, and immigrant labor that shaped much of its identity. Though the industrial buzz has quieted over the decades, the town has gracefully transitioned into a more relaxed, community-centered lakeside retreat. The bridge remains fully operational and has become a focal point of the revitalized Bridge Street District, now home to small shops, restaurants, and an artsy, welcoming vibe that nods to its working-class roots.
Today, Ashtabula is a hidden gem for those who want Lake Erie views without the noise or flash of more popular destinations. It’s peaceful without being empty, scenic without being overrun—a place where you can still hear the creak of the bridge lifting, the lake brushing against the docks, and your own thoughts. It feels like a space that belongs to locals and travelers alike who are looking to slow down and savor Northeast Ohio’s quieter beauty.
Light, lens, and lake breeze
We pulled back into downtown Ashtabula and found a parking spot that was right next to the river, talk about amazing. During our return, I remembered that i actually had been to this town and bridge before just many years earlier. As we crossed through downtown, we passed a small new age/pagan shop and memories of a time about 15 years prior came to mind. My friend Tammy Mellert had taken me to that very same (I think it was the same shop – but was the same downtown) shop. I remember that it was a cold rainy day and I didnt know we were in Ashtabula. I did remember that the bridge looked more like it should be in New England than Ohio. Funny how like works out, bringing you back to places you have visited so many years earlier.
I got my gear out of the car, loaded some film in my Polaroid SX-70 and made sure I had the right lenses for my Canon M50 and we headed to the benches next to the river. We found our spot and tucked in. The bridges raises and lowers on a preset schedule, so it is pretty easy to get the shots you want, so I planned.
As blue hour crept in, the amazing sights took over. Boats would go out of the harbor area or return from the lake. It was peaceful and serene.I took a few shots with the SX-70, while I still had enough light and even tried some more artful styles while playing with lights. Then I set up the tripod and my Canon. As the sky became darker shades of blue, we started seeing fireworks in the coves behind the bridge and I thought it would be awesome to get some as the bridge is raising or lowering. Much to my surprise, most of the fireworks explosions were out of the way of thr bridge or were covered once it was up.But I still hoped for a few shots.
Here are the ones I liked best, from that night.
Even one with fireworks
A shoreline state of mind
As a kid, my mother often told me that it was the simplest things in life that brought the most pleasure. At the time, I thought she was crazy. I knew that if I had all the toys I wanted, then, all the friends I could have, and a healthy bank account that I would be happier than anyone who just had good memories. I turn 52 next month and what I have learned is that those simple memories are the most precious.
Each and every date night is a time that we get to reflect back on and smile with warmth in our hearts. Each photograph is a spark for a memory of a time we shared together and those mean more to me than any joy the physical items or amounts of money could provide me. This summer night on Ashtabula River taking pictures with the person who means the most in my life is a treasured memory that I will keep for those darker days when a ray of light is needed most. It fully reminds me of how much I love Ohio for the many and varied sites it holds. All we have to do is get out and explore.
These are just a few of the moments I captured that night. If you’ve taken your own photos in this area (or have a hidden gem spot to recommend), drop them in the comments or tag @GayintheCLE—I’d love to feature a few community shots in an upcoming post!
Gay in the CLE 